Since the day it was formed Chiang Mai Lanna Cricket Club has had a strong commitment to junior cricket and this was clearly shown when CMLCC generously decided to sponsor a junior team in the Chiang Mai Senior League.
Over recent weeks the juniors had been gaining useful practice in friendly matches but with the League getting underway at Gymkhana Club on Sunday 17th November there were no games scheduled for either Lanna team over the weekend so it was decided to take the opportunity to travel out to Prem Oval and use the fantastic facilities available at one of the best grounds in Thailand.
The juniors will start their league campaign the following week so it was an ideal chance for them to gain more valuable match practice against the seniors, and kids from Lamphun and Mae On travelled to the ground early on the Saturday morning for net practice to decide on the make up of their team.
Lanna’s senior team declined on the need for practice, as captain Pete Warner decided to sit under cover to conserve his strength and took the time to consider who would arrive to play for his team. CMLCC chairman David Holt had carried out a recruitment drive and today was the day that the young Australians he had found would finally come to play.
Lunch had already been prepared when an unfamiliar vehicle trundled around the boundary. How many Australians would it contain? Out they all climbed and the answer proved to be a magnificent seven. The team sheet had to be rewritten, the match made 12 aside and there were still enough left over for a full complement of officials (and Martin sadly took off his whites).
Not much was known about these Australians but it transpired that all had recently finished school in Sydney and were enjoying a gap year in Thailand. They had all played cricket at school: they were a little rusty but they all thought they could bat and bowl. They would soon have a chance to show their skill with the bat as Lanna batted first.
The Lanna team was made up of a total of nine Australians and three Englishmen so the Thai juniors faced a test of their ability and they came through with flying colours. Chanchai and Cher took the new ball and bowled accurately but Lanna seniors made a steady start thanks to Jason Bray who is looking like a dependable opener.
But his dismissal for 19 bowled by young Boom who has only been playing cricket for three months was the crucial moment of the game. A succession of young Australians went for their shots but none of them lasted long, as the gentle but accurate seam bowling from Leng took its toll.
Paul Johnson had looked a destructive batsman in a couple of net practices at Gymkhana but he was out second ball stumped by the fast hands of Bunchuai. Even captain Warner couldn’t save the day as it was left to him and Eddie Joyner to try to bat out the innings.
But it was a day when everything went right for Lanna Juniors as Chanchai returned to have Warner lbw for 19 and Eddie was 11th out caught and bowled by Formot as Lanna were bowled out for just 93.
Leng finished with the remarkable figures of 5 for 17, a fine reward for bowling straight and as the Australians missed the ball he hit the stumps. Would the young Australians be able to bowl better than they could bat? Captain Warner wisely turned to his two most experienced bowlers, the pacy Paul Johnson and the steady Eddie Joyner, to try to make early breakthroughs.
Paul bowled a good first over and Eddie managed to dismiss Bunchuai caught at mid on with his first ball as the juniors were reduced to 2 for 1, but Bank looked confident at number 3 and hit powerfully over the top. Chanchai had made runs in his last few innings and was soon in his stride.
The two opening bowlers had done their best but once the ball was handed to the young Australians it was clear their bowling skills were as limited as their batting. 16 came off an over of medium pace and then Tom Tait who said Shaun Tait was his cousin came on to bowl his leg-spin.
"How many did I go for off my over?” he asked at the end of the match and 23 was the answer, as he resolved to drink the same number of beers to make up for his disappointment. Chanchai hit him to all parts of the leg-side boundary and the Thai youngster finished the match with yet another four to bring up his fifty.
Lanna Juniors had defeated their seniors in less than 12 overs as they finished on 95 for one to complete a comprehensive victory that will do wonders for their confidence. The early finish allowed the young Australians plenty of time to finish all the beer and their contribution to bar profits is greatly appreciated as it will help finance junior cricket in Chiang Mai in future weeks.
The after-match banter was highly enjoyable as the English took great pleasure in the lack of form shown by these much-vaunted young Australians. But typically the young Thais headed back to the nets and gained more practice for tougher matches ahead, and the girls from Lamphun also joined in, after their match at Royals had also finished early.
This was a fantastic day for Lanna Juniors as they convincingly won their first match playing as a team and showed that young Thai children could be more than a match for a team made up of young Australians.
There will be another match played at Prem on 23rd November as Lanna’s seniors look to regain their lost pride against the juniors, and the following day will see Lanna Juniors play the Floggers & Robbers at Gymkhana Club in the Chiang Mai Senior League.
THANKS TO ROBERT MENASIAN FOR THE FANTASTIC PHOTOS!